Float.



PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904.

F. n RVH. ENGELHARIL FLOAT.

MPLIUATION FILED MAY za. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

No. 767,046. Patented August 9, 1904,

NITET) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK ENGELHARD AND FREDERICK H. ENGFLHARD, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,046, dated August 9, 1904.

Application filed May 2B, 1904. Serial No. 210,191. (No model.)

T @u 107mm/ mil/7J CU'WWM posited upon the outside over all. The dia- 50 Beitknownthatwe,FRANK ENGnLi-IARD and phragni has perforations therein the edges FREDERICK H. ENGELHARD, both citizens of of which are swaged, some up and some down, the United States,'and residents of Springsaid diaphragm being' made of comparatively iield, in the county of Hampden and Common thin metal. This diaphragm affords a strong' wealth of Massachusetts, have invented anew internal lateral brace for the float, one which and useful Float, of which the following is a is capable of resisting' shock and strain to a specification. marked degree. It is located more or less Our invention relates to improvementsV in centrally and. adjacent to the junction between 1o floats for valves in which sheet-metal sections the float-sections, where resistance is most are joined together to form the float; and it needed and where protection of the joint can consists particularly of certain peculiar reinbest be provided and becomes most effectual. forcing' means within the lioat, as hereinafter The hoop is not specifically or separately set forth; and the primary object of our inclaimed in this application, since it is included 15 vention is to so brace and strengthen a float in an application for United States Letters of the.class desig'nated above by an internal Patent, iiled by us May 12, 1904, Serial No. 65 diaphragm of peculiar construction that the 207,594, and we do not wish to be restricted saine is capable of resisting any Vpressure or to the position of this member or tothe numheat to which it is likely to be subjected withber, since two or more may be employed with zo out collapsing or having the integ'rity and efthe diaphragm as well as one.

iciency of its joint impaired, such lioat be- The float shown in the drawings consists of ing at the same time light, durable, comparatwo semispherical sections a and a', the fortively inexpensive, symmetrical, of proper mer being' provided with an edge portion weight, and seamless. Float-balls, columnand the latter with an edge portion b, such 25 Vlioats, and the like, herein termed simply edge portions lapping one upon the other with floats, which are made in sections, semithe portion inside and the portion /outside. 75

spherical, or otherwise, according to the kind By preference the aforesaid edge portions are of float, are very liable to break apart at the straight in a meridional direction. An interjoint; and it is our object to so thoroughly renal bead c is formed around the edge portion 3o inforce the float at or near the joint as to overnear its base, which latter is bent inwardly come any liability of collapsing and spreadto form a flange nl. The edge of a thin nie- 8O ing at the place of union. This construction tallic disk or diaphragm c is received into the enables us to provide a float which really posannular groove between the bead c and the sesses greater strength and durability in the flange (Z, said diaphragm being placed against 3 5 vicinity of the joint than elsewhere, and this the bead before the iiange is formed. The

is a further object of our invention. We atbead and flange just described constitute eletain these objects by the means illustrated in ments of strength in themselves, as well as the accomjmnying drawings, in whichserving to hold the diaphragm lirmly and rig- Figure l is a side elevation of a i'ioat emidly in place.

40 bodying our invention, the same being broken In order to increase the rigidity of the diaaway at the center; Fig. 2, a plan View of the phrag'm c, which should be made of very light 90 diaphragm; and Fig'. 3, a sectional View of a material, any number of holes 7 are punched lioat, showing' a slight modilieation. therein and the edges of said holes are turned The fioat as illustrated consists, essentially, outward, some rising above the-upper surface 45 of sections, generally two in number, the edge of the diaphragm and others projecting below of one overlapping the edge of the other, an the bottom surface of the same, as shown at 0. internal diaphragm of peculiar construction, This is done usually by swaging. and a hoop between the inside and outside A groove 7)" is formed in the edge portion t', lapped portions, plating material being de into whichaband or hoop itis sprungor forced,

or said hoop may be first soldered or otherwise securely attached to the edge portion I) and the edge portion b forced into place over the hoop. At the time of assembling contacting surfaces vof the edge portions with each other and with the hoop and diaphragm are soldered or otherwise securely united, although it may not always be necessary to attach the hoop and the diaphragm to the edge portions by other means than that afforded by the nature of the construction of these parts. After being assembled the joint and oat are completed by depositing a coating c' over the outside of the sections a and a', including the edge portion 7e now have a float which possesses all of the advantages hereinbefore enumerated.

The presence of the diaphragm, together with the means of connection, enables us to use very thin metal for the parts, and the eX- ternal plating or coating not only unites the sections into a homogeneous mass, as it were, but serves to remove inequalities in the outside surface and to bring the oat up to the required weight. The coating also assists in holding the sections together and'preventing the opening of the joint and renders the fioat seamless. rlhe diaphragm offers strong' resistance to outside pressure, while the hoop and coating offer like resistance to both inside and outside pressure, and all together they produce the desired results. Furthermore, the exterior bulging belt comprising the overlapping edge portion, with its offset and hoop, receives whatever wear the fioat may be subjected to by being rubbed against the side of the tank or'other receptacle in which said ioat is located, and said hoop, with the diaphragm, protects the float from harm when it sustains a blow.

As shown in Fig. 3, the bead c may be of suiicient size to receive a second hoop c, which still further stiffens the construction. Other hoops may be utilized, as before inti* mated, and of course the diaphragm might be duplicated; but for all ordinary purposes it -is believed no such additional members need be employed.

The holes in the diaphragm need not necessarily be round, nor the hoops half-round in cross-section, and we do not desire to be restricted to any particular kind of float, but seek to include within the scope of our invention and claims any jointed sheet-metal float or similar device.

Copper is probably the most practical metal of which to make our float throughout; nevertheless some other metal can be used for the diaphragm, in which event the latter should not be soldered to adjacent parts of the edge portion b, andsuficient clearance should be left between the edge of said diaphragm and the groove in the portion formed by the bead c and the flange d, to allow for any difference there may be in expansion and contraction between the two metals.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isPq l. As a new article of manufacture, a iioat having a diaphragm therein and provided with means to hold said diaphragm in place.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a float havingwa perforated diaphragm therein, the edges of the perforations in said diaphragm being swaged or turned out.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a float having' a diaphragm therein and provided with means to hold said diaphragm in place, clearance being left between the edge of the diaphragm and adjacent parts of the ioat to allow for expansion and contraction.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a float having certain portions which are meridionally straight and provided with an internal diaphragm and means to hold said diaphragm in place.

As a new article of manufacture, a oat comprising sections having lapped portions, one of lsuch portions being provided with a bead and a flange, and an internal diaphragm held in place by said bead and flange.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a oat comprising sections having lapped portions with a hoop between such portions, an internal diaphragm, and means to hold said diaphragm in place.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a float comprising sections having lapped portions with a hoop between such portions, an internal diaphragm, means to hold said diaphragm in place, and a coating or deposit over the outside' of all.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK ENGELHARD.

FREDERICK H. ENGELHARD. lVitnesses:

RICHARD PIEHL,

F. A. CUTTER.

IOO 

